The Sachem Memo
Week of April 13 - 17, 2020
Remain StaffSTRONG
Hope all is well and you are coming off a great holiday weekend despite the current circumstances. I truly hope you found time to reflect on all of the positive in your life and knowing you are making a difference in the lives of your students. I know this school closure has created stress and uncertainty. Please know...you are making it happen with your students. Many of our students commented in their weekly Temperature Check how much they appreciated the virtual meetings they have had with you and their classmates. Many commented on the assignments and ability to do some really creative things. You are making it happen!
As we move through the upcoming week...know that you are doing the very best you can with an incredibly difficult and challenging situation. Continue to be present for your students, your family and take care of yourself. Everything else will fall into place in time. You got this!
Have a good week and thank you for all you are giving to your students.
Be well. Be safe. Be StaffSTRONG.
Paul
Virtual Faculty & Staff Connection/Meeting - This Week
The TWO meeting opportunities will take place:
Meeting #1 - Wednesday, April 15, 2020 - 7:30pm
Meeting #2 - Thursday, April 16, 2020 - 9:00am
Please note...you do not need to attend both. The focus of both meetings will be the same.
Virtual Meetings - This Week
- CST Meeting - Friday, April 17, 2020 - 9:00am
- MHS Leadership Team - Friday, April 17, 2020 - 11:00am
- MHS Guidance Department Meeting - Wednesday, April 15, 2020- 9:00am
- MHS Faculty & Staff Meeting and Connection - Wednesday, April 15, 2020 - 7:30pm
- MHS Faculty & Staff Meeting and Connection - Thursday, April 16, 2020 - 9:00am
Be on the lookout for Zoom Meeting Invitations. :)
Databases for Remote Learning
NEW RESOURCE FOR THIS WEEK:
These are some resources that might be helpful for you as you continue to plan for your distance learning lessons. PBS Learning Media has tons of resources-lesson plans, videos, interactive activities and more- for every subject and grade level. They easily integrate with Google classroom.
https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/emergency-closings-collection/
Nurse's Corner - A Note from the Nurses of Middleborough Public Schools
Hello Middleborough Community,
As the nursing staff for the Middleborough Public Schools we are writing to let you all know that we are here to help during these very challenging times. Below we have included some tips and resources for staying safe and healthy during our extended closure. We have also included our contact information in case you might have a question about your child or if we can be of assistance in some way. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to text or call or email.
MECC - Lori Johnson (774) 384-5440 lori_johnson@middleboro.k12.ma.us
MKG - Kelly Santos (774) 384-5435 kellysantos@middleboro.k12.ma.us
HBB - Laurie Perkins (774) 384-5434 lperkins@middleboro.k12.ma.us
NMS - Karen Betram (774) 384-5431 kbertram@middleboro.k12.ma.us
MHS - Jen Garanito (774) 384-5430 jgaranito@middleboro.k12.ma.us
Tips For Staying Healthy…..We ALL Need To Do Our Part!
We all want to be with our friends and family but if we all stick to these important guidelines, we will all be able to get back to "normal" sooner.
Stay home
Maintain social distance - keep at least 6ft away from other people
Wash hands. If soap and water are not available, you can use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
Cover our cough/sneeze with a tissue and throw it in the trash. If a tissue is not available, cough/sneeze in your elbow.
Do not gather in crowds. we all want to be with our friends and family, but if we all stick to these important guidelines, we will all be able to get back to "normal" sooner.
If you have to go to work, keep your germs at work and be sure to cover up, wash your hands and change your clothes when you get home.
Think positive - enjoy the time with your family (we aren't stuck at home, we are SAFE at home)
Only refer to trusted resources for information such as http://www.mass.gov/covid19
Take care of your emotional health and help others do the same. Call 2-1-1 and choose the CALL2TALK option if needed and read below for more info on dealing with anxiety.
Tips For Managing Anxiety in Children
Watch for behavior changes in your child
Not all children respond to stress in the same way.
Some common changes to watch for include
Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)
Excessive worry or sadness
Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
Difficulty with attention and concentration
Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
Unexplained headaches or body pain
Ways to support your child:
Keep routines in place
Even if you are home all day, setting and sticking to a regular schedule is important. To help reduce stress, kids should get up, eat and go to bed at normal times. Children, especially younger ones or those who are anxious, benefit from predictability.
Be creative about exercise and activities
Try new activities such as doing a puzzle or having family game time in the evening. Try rock painting with positive phrases or turning them into animals. Build in activities that help everyone get some exercise. Take a daily family walk or bike ride or do yoga — great ways to let kids burn off energy and make sure everyone is staying active. Many schools have remote learning at this time and being involved in your child’s learning can help reduce stress in the household.
Managing Anxiety
How we manage our anxiety has a big impact on our kids. For the moments when you feel anxiety, try to talk about it in a place that is not within earshot of the child. Try to take a break, whether that includes taking a shower, meditating or just having a step outside. If you have a partner at home, have an agreement that you’ll trade off when it comes to childcare. Be vocal about what you need and if you need a break. Trading off responsibilities ensures that way everyone gets a break and some breathing room.
Limit consumption of news
Although staying informed is important, it can lead to increased anxiety. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand. Talking to children in a clear, reasonable way about what’s going on is the best way to help them understand. Try a TV or social media break, or follow content that helps take your mind off the crisis, whether its about nature, baking or arts and crafts.
Stay in touch virtually
Socializing will help in regulating you and your child’s mood and help you stay grounded. Using FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or even phone calls and texting can help people feel less alone. You can try having family members video chat and read a bedtime story to your child or even have a videochat with multiple members at the same time.
Don’t be so hard on yourself
Remember that you are not alone. Be reasonable and kind to yourself. Routine is important but rigidity can be harmful. We can give ourselves license to relax and not try to model perfection. It may be better to let another episode of their favorite show play so you can catch up on bills or have a minute to decompress. Remind yourself and your children that this situation is unique and strict rules and boundaries can be reintroduced when things go back to normal.
Content Sources:
Jacobson, Rae, and Child Mind Institute. “Supporting Kids During the Coronavirus Crisis.” Child Mind Institute, 2020, childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/.
“Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Apr. 2020,www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html.
Scheduling Committee - Faculty Engagement - Last Call
The Elective Program Review Sub-Committee is hoping to gather information from you regarding the elective courses at the high school. This quick survey will help identify a collective definition, purpose and philosophy of the elective program. The Committee truly appreciates your engagement with this modest survey. The survey will close on Friday, April 17, 2020.
The link to the survey is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mb5VvpmnaJsEYl5gxO5DlAHcloFH1I52nMUzwRq4jPE/edit?ts=5e867799
Helpful Aspen Tips
Here are the helpful steps:
1. Go to Aspen
2. Click the last tab on the top menu bar labeled "Tools"
3. Click "Special Codes" on the left panel
4. Click "Options"
5. Click "Add"
6. Create the desired code. (INC) or (COMP) for example.
7. "Behavior" should be "Exempt from calculations"
When you create an assignment, you HAVE to give it points (as far as I can tell), but there is a checkbox on the right that says "Exclude from all averages", so I checked that off and made the assignment worth 10 points, but I'll just enter INC or COMP in the box instead of a point value.
Thank you, Alicia!!
Character Strong
Whole Child Summit - Mark Your Calendars - It Begins this week!!
Project Based Learning Workshop - Webinar - April 22, 2020
The Webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Thanks for the consideration.
Here is the link to register: https://collaborativelrng.typeform.com/to/x5ASbW
Mindfulness and Meditation - By Matthew Osgood
Please see this note from Mr. Osgood:
Hi MHS Friends,
As we live together through this unprecedented time together, self-care is a critical part of one's daily schedule, and I would like the opportunity to assist you with that. Simply stated, I have one simple mission: Mind. Body. Spirit. If I motivate and inspire just one person to be their best self while living in the moment through all of this together, I will consider my efforts a success. It is my goal to assist members of the teaching community, like yourself, and beyond, with increased present moment awareness, without judgement of one's feelings, thoughts, perceptions and emotions, as we manage our new responsibilities and stressors during this "new reality" pandemic together. Additionally, meditation gives us the capacity to understand ourselves more fully and enables us to care more deeply for others and ourselves. Meditation helps to deepen our focus, mindfulness and compassion. The reality of meditation is that anyone can learn to do it and gain benefits from practice, even if it's just a few minutes each day, no matter your culture or spiritual beliefs. As a certified Meditation For Everyone instructor under the teachings of Andy Kelley a.k.a. The Boston Buddha (Instructor for the Chopra Center and graduate of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program), I truly believe that meditation is for everyone and that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it. We could all benefit from a little "self-time" each day. Thank you in advance for considering adding this opportunity to your self care routine.
Best -
Matt O.
Please view this link from Mr. Osgood:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC70CLv3B2RO07vSSDZlXy3g
A look into the Boston Buddha, Andy Kelley - Meditation
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.necn.com/entertainment/meet-the-boston-buddha/2254238/%3Famp
Please email Matt at mosgood@middleboro.k12.ma.us with any questions.
Thank you, Matt for sharing this with our faculty and staff!
QuarantineSTRONG - Self- Care and Wellness
Please reach out to any of our school adjustment counselors:
Joelle Maczko, jmaczko@middleboro.k12.ma.us
Mary Tumavicus, mtumavicus@middleboro.k12.ma.us
Jason Carroll, jcarroll@middleboro.k12.ma.us
Office Hours: Office Hours are being held virtually for 1:1 counseling sessions or general check in’s for our students. If you know of any students who need this support, please let us know and encourage your student to connect. If you or someone in your family is struggling, we are also happy to assist in helping you find resources. If you or someone you know are experiencing an emergency crisis, please call 911. It is important to our mental health to remain connected to others, to use coping skills to manage the stress and angst we are all experiencing, and to seek support when needed. Please also continue to utilize our Employee Assistance Programming (www.TheEAP.com) via 1-800-535-4841 or through the app.
As we enter our 5th week of QuarantineSTRONG many people may be feeling anxious and irritated. Joelle read a few articles referencing the "new normal" that we're in. She does not think anything about our current lives as "normal" whatsoever. She thinks that giving yourself grace to feel however you are feeling is a healthy way to respond. Here is an article discussing some of the challenging emotions you too may be experiencing. Remember to stay connected to loved ones, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Be well.
Thank you, Joelle!!